Recirculating Farms Coalition member, Boswyck Farms, is working with Ecostation: NY to create a greenhouse classroom for New York high schoolers. The Bushwick Campus, a collection of schools that replaced the old Bushwick High, is getting a new hands-on innovative indoor farm. This will allow year-round farming education programs as part of their standard curriculum. See a video about the project, below.
The frame of the greenhouse has already been constructed, and will soon contain an aquaponics system (growing plants in water together with fish in one system), a compost-based heating system, solar panels, and a water-cachement system for rainwater collection.
This project is the extension of an outdoor farm that included both hydroponics (growing plants in water) and more traditional soil growing methods. Produce from the farm has been sold to local restaurants and donated to food pantries. The farm also supplies the Bushwick Campus Farmers’ Market, a weekly event held at the school to help students and their families have more access to affordable fresh fruit and vegetables, which in many parts of NY can be very hard to find.
Boswyck Farms and Ecostation: NY are now raising money for the project on Kickstarter. They’re asking for $15,000, which is about 1/3 of the money needed — setting the goal low to ensure it will be reached, as Kickstarter is an all or nothing funding opportunity.
Teaching recirculating farming to high school students will help to build a healthier future, where fresh food is grown locally, even in cities, using eco-friendly farms.
There are 23 days left to help support this amazing project. Please consider making a donation any time between now and December 30, 2011 to help teach NY students how to grow healthy fresh food in an urban environment.
Read more about the project here: The Bushwick Campus Greenhouse Project
Learn more about Boswyck Farms in a podcast with head hydroponicist, Lee Mandell!